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Internet Cookies: Changing Internet Use and Privacy

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Cookies provide user customization of sites, like weather.com & msn.com Bittersweet: the problems Multiple users on the same hard drive Family computer, ... – PowerPoint PPT presentation

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Title: Internet Cookies: Changing Internet Use and Privacy


1
Internet Cookies Changing Internet Use
and Privacy
  • Lindsay Maidment
  • Katherine Hollander
  • November 8, 2006

2
Why talk about Cookies?
  • We wanted to choose a topic that we did not know
    much about
  • As a technologically advanced generation, we use
    the internet virtually everyday
  • Read about DoubleClick Inc. and its business
    tactics

3
Which best describes an internet cookie?
  • A) A hacker breaks into your computer and looks
    at your files.
  • B) The telephone number that dials into an online
    service.
  • C) Files downloaded onto your computer that track
    your online habits.
  • D) I have no idea.

4
Business Week Survey
  • A) Hacker 6
  • B) Phone number 4
  • C) Tracking file 75
  • D) Didnt know 15

This survey was a telephone survey of 1,014
randomly selected adults between March 2 and
March 6 of 2000, by Harris Interactive.
5
Knowing the Basics
  • In the Business Week survey in 2000, only 40 of
    the randomly selected knew what an internet
    cookie was.

This survey was a telephone survey of 1,014
randomly selected adults between March 2 and
March 6 of 2000, by Harris Interactive.
6
What is a cookie?
  • A text file which a website can store on its
    visitors hard drives
  • Made up of numbers and letters
  • Generally, cookies are a simple ID file
  • Sometimes they can store more complicated
    information
  • Also called name-value pairs

7
Whats the point?
  • Sites use cookies to
  • Track number of visitors
  • First timers vs. returning visitors
  • How often the user visits the site
  • Why?
  • Frequent Buyer example
  • from Advertisers

8
Where are cookies?
  • You can find cookie files on your hard drive,
    your C drive.

9
Mmmm! cookies
  • They remember usernames for various sites that
    require log-in
  • Also have the option to remember your passwords
    for you!
  • They allow you to shop as you browse via online
    shopping carts!
  • Cookies provide user customization of sites, like
    weather.com msn.com

10
Bittersweet the problems
  • Multiple users on the same hard drive
  • Family computer, internet cafes
  • Credit card fraud
  • Easily erasable
  • Throw off sites total counts
  • Can contain spyware!
  • Can pass on personal information without users
    permission (email address, phone number, credit
    card number, etc.)

11
DoubleClick Inc.
  • Developed cookie program that can follow and save
    user internet browsing
  • Such cookie files are saved into text profiles
  • Profiles can be extensive and detailed
  • Serves over 200 billion ads per month

12
Benefits of DoubleClick
  • Advertisers!
  • Allows internet advertisers to place their ads on
    sites or pages which will reach their target
    audiences
  • Online Shoppers!
  • Can provide easy access to interesting products
    without the hassle of a long search
  • Jeans Example

13
Doubts behind Doubleclick
  • Announced plan to link anonymous cookie profiles
    to personal user information without users
    permission.
  • Invasion of privacy! (In depth look at
    DoubleClick litigation)
  • DoubleClick planned to turn around and sell the
    comprehensive profiles to other companies.
  • Spam Spyware can be found within cookie files
    without users knowledge.
  • Samantha Jones example

14
Life without cookies
  • Many sites are heavily dependent on cookies and
    may not function well without them
  • Some may not function at all
  • Erasing cookies prevents visitors from making use
    of certain amenities sites offer

15
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